The challenges MNOs face in moving to an all-IP network are similar to those traditional voice carriers face, but are compounded by the multiplicity of services requiring migration.

To satisfy demanding customers, MNOs need to be able to address roaming quality fears surrounding signaling and data roaming challenges around GRX. For example, MNOs need to manage their signaling relationship and assure their subscribers of quality of the same caliber abroad as they receive domestically. Because of MNOs’ roaming requirements, service migration issues, which also exist in the TDM space, are compounded and intensified in the move to IP.

The number of services MNOs offer make migration more difficult than for traditional voice carriers. A traditional carrier may simply take the interconnect they use for IP and move it over to voice. Now consider a mobile operator: in addition to voice, they must also address signaling services, SMS signaling services, and more.

Because moving over a number of services is much harder than moving one, wholesale carriers who can offer MNOs a comprehensive migration plan provide a valuable service. Indeed, in providing this service, wholesale carriers help MNOs maximize their cost savings, which come from migrating all services (not just voice) to the IP network.

The currents pushing the way toward an IP future pose several challenges to MNOs, both internally and with their bilateral partners.

First, MNOs must make the case internally for the move from TDM to IP. For well-established MNOs, especially in Europe and North America, the case is reducing operational cost, and optimizing the network, while in more dynamic markets, prioritizing against network build-outs may be at issue.

The next challenge is managing existing relationships, balancing both their TDM and IP interconnect partners. The emergence of IPX has been very helpful in addressing the relationship management challenge, because it gives all parties concrete terms and conditions with which to begin to work.

Lastly, MNOs have to address their concerns about the security and quality of IP networks. They fear that moving away from their closed international voice network might open it up to attack.

Add to this an awareness of some of the ways in which IP experiences delays that TDM does not (poling from North Pole to South Pole, for example) and you get the misperception that quality will suffer when you move to an IP network.

This is a new option for traffic networks, and there are still many challenges for MNOs to address and overcome.